Jon the Traveller

I said previously that I would probably visit Night Bazaar, and since this place is so walk-able and very easy to get there I did so while fitting in a few drinks along the way. The bazaar itself – and I am pretty loathe to say this – is very unremarkable, it is very much the country cousin to Suan Lum in Bangkok, despite its long history suggesting otherwise, hundreds of years of being at the crossroads of trade and politics between huge regional powers, and the bazaar is reduced to selling the ubiquitous “ethnic” handicrafts, label knock-offs and usual tourist market pap. Even for people watching it falls down for me – the generic tourist really gets pulled in, and watching old western couples have fits while bargaining over a £2 object isn’t as fun as it once was.

Hopefully the “Sunday Walking Street” market on Th Ratchadamnoen will be better. This is, as I understand it, primarily an arts and crafts market, but includes more local colour I hope so, otherwise my new found enjoyment of market shopping will soon vanish, and I’ll be jaded about yet another aspect of everyday life which just isn’t what this trip is about for me at all.

This morning after a great breakfast at my guest-house, CM Blue House, I set out to visit the Chiang Mai Arts & Cultural Centre, which is housed is a wonderful example of colonial architecture, what I think was basically once the seat of the provincial governor. The building is full of shaded courtyards along the style found throughout Asia, anywhere a westerner was the architect. I saw similar examples throughout Bangkok, however they were very rarely in such good condition as this building.

The museum inside has a small number of displays, but the information presented in them is very comprehensive, and covers the history of the region – both political and cultural; goes into some depth about the local minorities; and even explains the devotional architecture of the area. Very much worth the small 90bht cover.

For a change I had settled on an early night in order to make certain I’d fully use the day ahead, and after a relaxing breakfast I returned to Wat Arun, and as I have linked in my previous post, I scored some good images, however the climb up the praang was beyond me, so I didn’t get some panoramic shots of the Bangkok sky-line or the river like I had intended, but I’ll be back.

Rather than heading back to Banglamphu, I thought I’d head up to Chatachuk market, this market is Bangkok’s largest and is only open on weekends. Its handily at the northern end of the Sukhumvit sky-train line, so air-con baby!! Let me tell you this, its awesome fun shopping on your own in a place like that – no women to deal with, which means no stress, and a stress free Jon is a happy Jon.

Unlike the day before when I didn’t really care for anything more than perfunctory bargaining – hey frankly my patience wears thin too easily when it involves blagging, or being blagged by the vendors on the Khao San Road, its just fighting a losing battle there – I really got into my stride while meandering the seemingly endless corridors of Chatachuk. Was good to enjoy myself in such a place and score some fabulous deals on shorts and tee’s. I happily lost 4 hours of my afternoon just looking around. Its a sea of humanity!